Assessment of biological hazards associated with processing of biomass for energy purposes.

Assessment of exposure to harmful biological agents (HBA) carried out during the implementation of the project was based on the analysis of jobs, the analysis of qualitative and quantitative bio-aerosols ingredients and verification of the information with the literature data on the occurrence of eventual biological risks on surveyed workstations. A study conducted within the framework of the project, showed that there were significant differences in the assessment of exposure to bio-aerosols among employees processing biomaterials for energy purposes whether the assessment is based on the measurement of living particles, or the bio-aerosol measurement takes into account the total result of living and dead cells together. Obtained data indicate that in the studied workplaces concentration of living microbial ranged from 0.1% to 33% of the total concentration of microorganisms. Comparison of microorganisms isolated from bio-aerosols on the test workstations with these identified in the samples of biomass showed similar strains. Carried out microbiological analysis of biomass samples showed that the bio raw materials used for co-firing with coal are a source of harmful bacterial and fungal factors that can be released into the air, creating a bio-aerosols.